Automatic fire-extinguisher



me Model.)

0.1.,H0RAe-K. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHBR.

No. 270,801. Patented Jaml, 1883.

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N. PETER Phan-Lithugnphar. Washinton. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. HORACK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,801, dated January 16, 1883.

' Application filed August 22, 1882. (No model.)

` zen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire- Extinguishers, of which thefollowingisa specifcation.

My invention relates to automatic tire-extinguishers in which a cap placed over an outlet prevents the discharge of the extinguishing- Iiuid until said cap has become relieved, owing to the heatof said re.

The object ,of this invention is to avoid the difficulties attending the changing pressure on a v alve closing the outlet or outlets in an automatic re extinguisher, and thereby doing away with the danger of leaking generally attending the use ofvalves in such cases. Vhen city-water pressure or pump-pressure is used in pipes supplying automatic sprinklers with extinguishing-ii uid, very considerable changes in pressure are apt to occur in the same. Such changes produce a sudden shock, called waterhammer, 7 which frequently causes leaking of the valves, as stated above. I am aware that several remedies have been suggested to overcome this. Valves closing outlets in automatic fire extinguishers have been constructed to partly balance the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid; but while this reduces the waterhammer on said valves, it does not entirely overcome it.

Valves secured by fusible solder have also been held against their seats by the pressure of water, by so constructing` the device as to make the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid hold the valve against a seat until re! This has been ac lieved by the heat of a fire. complished by making'the extinguishing-duid produce on said valve a greater pressure in a direction opposite to that in which it would have to move in orf-ler to open an outlet than is produced at the same time on said valvein the direction in which it would have to move in order to become relieved; but it will be seen that in this case the pressure on such a valve is changing with the pressure in the pipes. This is an objectionable feature, which I overcome by my invention. Ido this by givingthe valve such a shape as to make it balance exactly the pressure ofthe extinguishing-fluid, and by so proportioning that part of its surface which is exposeddirectly to said pressure as to make the resulting pressure on it which has a tendency to open it exactly equal to that Whichhas a tendency to closeit. It will readily be seen that this does away with water-hammer and its consequences as far as said valve is concerned, and in fact makes said valve entirely independent of the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid. On the other hand, it appears that the water-pressure cannot be depended upon to any extent to open said valve after a soldered joint holding it iu position, or any other device performing' the same function, has been relieved, and I therefore provide a spring to open or assist in opening said valve in case of fire. I also make use ofthe weight ofthe valve to assist in opening it. Y

A further object of this invention is to provide, in combination with said valve, a suitable fastening device to hold the valve in position until atre occurs, and to construct a proper distributer in combination with said valve.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a device embodying some of the leading features of my invention. Fig.2 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a side view, of a device constructed according to my invention.

In Fig. 1, V is a valve having two tapering disks, D and D', at the ends of the stem c, arranged to close the outlets leading to the perforated distributer P. The inner area of the disk D, which is exposed to the pressure of the extinguishing-duid, is made of exactly the same size and area as the inner surface of the disk D', which also receives the pressure of said fluid. Consequently the pressure of said uid, which is confined by the valve V, is fully balanced by said valve. The distributer Pis screwed to the casting containing the valve-seats. The disks D and D', while they might be soldered to their seats, iu this case simply restI against suitable packing at said seats.

N is a nut, through which passes the screw R, which is used to force the valve V to its seat-s. Said nut N is secured to the distributer by means of a joint, J, triade of solder fusible at a low temperature.

S is a spiral spring placed around the pro- 2 avool jection b, which is a continuation of the stem l indicatedany danger of the distributer and ct. The spring is made to rest against the inner surface oi' the distributer P.

x is a pin passing loosely through an opening in said distributer, and is screwed into the projection b.

It will readily be seen that alter the soldered joint J has been released, owing to the heat of a fire, the spring S will force the valve Vto the right, the screw It and piu .fr serving as guides for said valve.

I show in dotted lines the position the disks l) and D would assume, owing to the action ot the spring S, after a tire had broken out.

-The openings into P would then be freed and would allow the passage of the extinguishingfluid to the distributer P. It might be well to usefscrew-thread arrangement for lengthening or shortening the stem a, or the distance be-` tween the inner surfaces of the disks D and D', thereby securing a close tit at both valve-seats. However, I do not show such screw-thread arrangement in Fig. l. The details of this device might be varied. Particularly, instead of a distributer, P, having a series ofperforations, any other suitable device for spreading lther water over a large area might be used, such as a deector fed from one or more outlets in the distributer P. As I propose to make the peculiar form of the valve shown in this device, and its connection with the reservoir containing the extinguishing-fluid and with a distributer, the subject ot' another application for a patent, I do not claim the same here.

Fig. 2 represents a distributer, I), provided with outlets o o in its outer walls. arranged to produce intersecting streams. V is a valve placed over said distributer for the purpose of preventing the discharge ofthe extinguishinguid until a fire occurs. The peeuliarity of this cap-shaped valve is that the horizontal projection ot' that part ot' the inner surface of the valve which receives upward pressure is of exactly the same area as the horizontal projection ot' that part of said surface which receives downward pressure, the inner diameter of the upper edge'of the valve being made of exactly the'sauie size as the outer edge of the lower valve-seat. Between the. two seats for said valve the outlet or outlets for the extinguishing-fluid are located. A suitable pac'king is placed between the lower part of the distributer and the corresponding part of the inner surface of the valve V. Wax, parafine, or any similar substance would best answer the purpose. rlhe purpose of. placin g a yielding packing--such as wax or parafne-there, is to ll out any cavity which might exist between distributer and valve, thereby preventing the extinguishing-Huid from entering such space or cavity, and so producing a pressure tending to open said valve and causing leal;- age. Besides, as wax and parafne will soften and even assume a iuid condition under the inuence of heat, it will be seen that by using the same or similar substances for packing, as

' three separate pieces, l, m, and n.

'its seats.

the valve adhering to each other after the heat of a re has broken the fusible seal continin g the valve is done away with. The inlet I to the distributer P might be made vertical, as shown on drawings, or horizontal, as circumstances may require. The valveV is made of m is a ringshaped piece made to rest on the Lipper valveseat; ,acap-shaped piece resting on thelower valve-seat. m has on its outer surface screwthread, so has also ot,running,however,in the opposite direction. lis a connecting-piece having on its inner surface two series of screwthread, corresponding with the screw-threads on m and n. said ring-shaped piece lto one side or another after it has been connected with the pieces m and fn, the distance between said pieces can be regulated, and the valv'eVcan either belengthened or shortened,as may be required to make it tit closely both its seats.

y and .a are posts attached to the casting C, conveying the iiuid to the distributer P. The spiral spring S is made to rest against projectionsf and lr/on said posts,as wellas on a rim, r, projecting from the piece Z, forming part of the valve V.

While it will be seen that the spring S willv insure a prompt and speedy removal of the valveV after the solderedjoint has been broken, it is apparent that the weight of the valve alone and unaidedwillcause the same to move downward, thereby releasing the extinguishing-duid in case ot' tire.

It willalso be seen that as soon as the valve has started on its downward movement the part of it formerly-resting against the lower valve-seat also receives pressure by said iiuid, which will further hasten the movement of said valve downward.

The lower end of the posty contains apivot for one end of the lever L, while the other end of said lever is attached tothe lower end of the post z by ajoint, J, made of solder fusible at a low temperature. The screw or brace R, passing through the lever, forces the valve to After the jointJ (shown in Fig. 2) is relieved by the heat ot' a tire, the lever L, and with it the brace or screw R, swings downward and out of the way, and the valve Vis forced fromits seats and dropsinto the position shown in Fig. 3.

D is a ring-shaped piece, intended to serve as a detlector for the extinguishing-duid after the valve has dropped. One-half ot' said deiiectoris shown in Fig. 3. When in said position it rests on the projectionsf and g. It then serves to further distribute the extinguishingtluid discharged through the openings o o. A small spring, t, (shown in Fig. 2,) helps to force the deiiector .D downward in case it should need such additional force. Ordinarily, as the deector D rests on a projection of the valve V before a re occurs, as shown in Fig. 2, as soon as said valve dropsinto the position shown It will be seen that by turning IOC- IIO

.KIS

in Fig.3 the detlector, owing to its own weight, will drop also. That part of the detle'ctor-sur'- face against which the extinguishing uid is made to strike I have shown to be provided with conce-ntric corrugations on a convex sur-i face, although said surface might instead be made concave or sloping` straight, with or without corrugations. Other details might be varied. The lever L might be made to conta-in several soldered joints, and each of its ends might Ik arranged to swing around a pivot. Ihe distributcr P might be made with only one outlet.

I claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent- -l. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer, of a val-ve preventingthedischarge oftheextinguishingiluid until released by the heat of a re, said valve being so constructed as' to balance the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing -uid,

l substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic tire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer, ot' a valve closing one or more outlets in the same, said valve being constructed to balance the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-duid until' released by vthe heat of a fire, and a spring arranged to open or assist in opening said valve, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer, of a valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-fluid until released by the heat of a nre, said distributer having two valve-seats and saidvalve having two seating surfaces, substantially as set forth.

4.' In an automatic tire-extinguisher, the combination, with a discharge nozzle, of a valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-fluid, and of a connectingfpi'ece placed between said valve and a soldered joint arranged to be broken by the heat of a fire, substantially as set forth.

5. In an automaticfire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer, of a Valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing -iiuid, said valve being forced to its seat by-screw-thread arrangement, substantially as set forth.

6. In an automatic lire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer, of a valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the ex tinguishing-iiuid, said distributer having two vvalue-seats and said valve having two seating-surfaces, and being constructed so as to allow an adjustment in length of that part of it lying between the two seating-surfaces, substantially as set forth.

7. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a discharge-nozzle, of a valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-duid, and held `in position by means of a single soldered joint, substantially as set forth.

8. In an automatic nre-extinguisher, a capshaped valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-fluid, combined with a distributer containing one or more perforations directed toward the circumference of said valve, substantially as set forth.

9. In an automatic ire-extinguisher, a' capshaped valve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-duid, combined with a distributercontaininga number of perforations directed toward the circumference of said valve and arranged to produce intersecting streams, substantially as set forth.

10. In anautomatic{ire-extinguisher,avalve balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-duid, combined with a lever holding` said valve in position vuntil relieved by the heat of a tire, substantially as set forth.

11. In an automa-tic tire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer, of a valve halancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-fluid, and a deiiector arranged to move with said valve, substantially as set forth.

combination, with a discharge-nozzle, ofavalve balancing` the pressure of the extinguishing fluid until relieved by the heat ofa re, and a deiector for distributing said iuid, substantially as set forth.

9 12. In an automatic nre-extinguisher, the

13. In anautomaticfire-extinguisher,avalve f balancing the pressure produced upon it by the extinguishing-fluid, said valve being arranged to become removed fromvits seat by its own weight after having been relieved by the heat of a fire, substantially as set forth.

14. In a distributer for ijuids, the combination, witha discharge-nozzle, of a detlector provided with corrugations on its face, substantially as set forth.

15. In an automatic tire-extinguisher, the combination, with a distributer having one or more outlets, and a valve closing said outlet or outlets, of a device adapted to enter the space in front of said outlet or outlets after the valve has been relieved by the heat of a lire,

lIO

there to act as a deiiector, said device being provided With a spring` for forcing it from the position which it occupied before the valve had been removed, substantially as set forth.

16. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination ot' a dischargenozzle having two, seats with a valve providedwith two seatingsurfaces and a yielding packing, which softens under the influence of heat, located between valve and distributer, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES. L. HORACK.

Witnesses:

RUFUs M. WILLIAMS, WALDORF H. PHILLIPS. 

